Massachusetts Authorities Examine Teen’s Death Linked to One Chip Challenge
The maker of a very spicy tortilla chip announced on Thursday that it is working to have the product taken off store shelves as Massachusetts authorities look into the death of a teen whose family blamed the One Chip Challenge, a social media dare that has gained widespread popularity, for the death.
The 14-year-family old’s blamed the challenge for his death on September 1, while the exact cause of death is still unknown and an autopsy has not yet been completed.
Since his passing, Texas-based producer Paqui has requested that shops stop selling the individually wrapped chips; 7-Eleven has already complied with this request.
The One Chip Challenge chip costs around $10 and is packaged in a cardboard coffin box that is sealed inside of a foil pouch.
The chip is developed for the “vengeful enjoyment of intense heat and pain,” is intended for adults, and should be kept out of children’s reach, according to the warning label on the container.
Parents in Massachusetts have also received warnings from authorities on the challenge, which is well-known on social media platforms like TikTok.
Several individuals, including kids, upload films of themselves opening the package, consuming the hot chips, and then responding to the heat. In some footage, people can be seen wheezing, coughing, and pleading for water.
Others around the nation have reported being ill as a result of the challenge, including three pupils from a California high school who were admitted to the hospital.
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Health Concerns Arise
Seven children became unwell after participating in the challenge last year, prompting paramedics to be dispatched to a Minnesota school.
The chips could be harmful in some situations, according to Dr. Peter Chai, an associate professor of emergency medicine and medical toxicology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
In a statement, Worcester police said they were called to Wolobah’s home on Friday afternoon and discovered him “unresponsive and not breathing.”
Worcester is the second-largest city in the state. After being taken to a hospital, he was declared dead.
Wolobah’s family and friends contend that the chips were to blame for his passing, and they have urged for their removal from store shelves.
The task is known as the “One Chip Challenge,” and the rules are printed on the box as well. They tell customers to complete the entire chip, “wait as long as possible before drinking or eating anything,” and post about their experience on social media.
On a scale from one minute to one hour, the package also asks how long the individual can hold out.
Customers are advised not to consume the chip if they are “sensitive to spicy foods, allergic to peppers, night shades, or capsaicin, or are pregnant, or have any medical concerns,” according to the warning on the back of the packaging.
Also, the warning advises people to wash their hands after handling the chip and to “get medical attention” if they develop breathing problems, dizziness, or prolonged nausea.
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Source: ABC News
